F1: Sergio Perez joins Force India but the Mexican has one eye on a top drive

By Sarah Holt, for CNN

Updated 1158 GMT (1958 HKT) December 13, 2013

All smiles for Mexican racer Sergio Perez as he signs for Force India under the watchful eye of new boss Vijay Mallya

Story highlights

Sergio Perez to partner Nico Hulkenberg at Formula One team Force India in 2014

The Mexican tells CNN he wants to prove he can race for a top team again

Perez lost his seat at McLaren this year but says he is now a better driver

Force India boss predicts Hulkenberg will one day be world champion

Sergio Perez was announced as Force India's new driver Thursday, but is the Mexican racer already getting itchy feet?

The 23-year-old lost his drive with McLaren less than a month ago and Perez is determined to prove he deserves another chance with a front-running Formula One team.

"I learned a lot at McLaren last year," Perez, who last year finished 11th in the drivers' championship, told CNN.

"McLaren made me a better driver than I was before I joined them. I learned a lot and I'm really looking forward to proving myself in 2014; achieving great things, good results.

"Hopefully we can have a strong car and confirm once again to top teams that I'm the right one for them.

"Hopefully I can do that and have another chance in a top team in a winning car."

For now, the Mexican's immediate future lies with Force India, the British-based team who were ranked as 2013's fifth fastest team before the introduction of new Pirelli tires halfway through the season saw their early season form fade.

"I'm happy now that I know what I'm doing for next year," said Perez, who took three podiums for Sauber in a breakthrough 2012 season that helped earn him a step up to McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's replacement.

"I'm very excited to join a young team full of energy, full of hunger to prove itself.

"Nico is one of the best drivers out there, there's no doubt about it. He's still looking for a great opportunity for his future and it's the same for me.

"I think we are one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid."

Mallya insisted neither of his 2013 drivers had done anything to warrant the axe but that that the time had come for a change.

With a major technical rule change on the horizon in 2014 and a smattering of new rules, which include a dose of double points at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, the Indian businessman believes he has chosen the right duo to drive forward a new era for his team.